The Chemist Part 26

She also wanted to hunt for gas masks-she couldn't wire up the house if she didn't have a third for Arnie. She doubted Kevin would have overlooked such an obvious safety feature, but then again, maybe it was obvious only to someone like her. In his world, Kevin probably only worried about bullets and bombs.

But though she wanted these things badly, it might already be too late for preparations. If the flirtatious checker had called after the first broadcast-which could have aired earlier in the day than the one they'd seen, or even the day before-it would take a certain amount of time for their enemies to begin the search. Someone had to get here, then ask questions around town, and finally start investigating possible leads. But then, if that someone had good luck, the surveillance would begin. And she had no way of knowing if it already had.

Even though she and Daniel were staying inside with the windows covered, someone could be watching Arnie right now. If Arnie took a field trip to the Batcave, the watcher would follow. At that point, they might as well put up a banner that read CONGRATULATIONS, YOU'VE FOUND THE RIGHT PLACE! HELP YOURSELF TO A FEW ROCKET LAUNCHERS!

They could do nothing that might give away the existence of the Batcave.

Her most essential defenses were in easy reach, everything of importance loaded into her backpack-neatly Ziplocked by category-for a quick retreat. She had Arnie move the truck to the back of the house, close enough to Arnie's bedroom window that they could be in the front cab with one well-hidden step.

She wished Kevin would call or that he'd trusted them enough to give Daniel the number to his own burner phone, in case of emergency. There might be additional safeties he'd built into the place that Arnie wasn't aware of.

Daniel made dinner for the three of them, and though it wasn't as high-spirited an affair as the previous night's, it was still delicious. She told him to slow down with his stock of ingredients. It might be a while before shopping was on the agenda again, even for Arnie.

It surprised her how unaware Daniel seemed to be of Arnie's presence-well, not unaware, exactly, just unaffected. Not that he was rude to Arnie or ignored him, but Daniel made no effort to hide his new closeness with Alex in front of him. Twice he took her hand; once he kissed the top of her head as he pa.s.sed with the dishes. Arnie, unsurprisingly, showed no reaction to Daniel's exhibition, but she couldn't help but wonder what he thought of it.

Arnie told them he had the dogs on rotation to run the perimeter fence-all six miles of it-while it was light out, the time when scouts would be watching through binoculars. If anyone was perched close enough to watch the house, the dogs would alert him. After that announcement, he went to bed early, keeping his normal routine. Alex and Daniel stayed up to watch the evening news.

He curled around her on the sofa so naturally that it didn't feel out of the ordinary at all. She couldn't remember feeling so physically comfortable with anyone in all her life. Even her mother had been a brittle hugger, someone who rarely expressed affection, in words or actions. Alex's closeness with Barnaby was verbal, never physical. So she thought that she should feel awkward and embarra.s.sed with her legs draped across another person's lap, her head cradled against that person's shoulder while his arms were wrapped around her, but she felt only oddly relaxed. As if his proximity somehow removed a portion of the stress from the situation.

The Daniel piece played again, but it ran later in the program than before, and she could tell the night anchor was bored by the story. The Agency might be able to force this bit into the news for a short time, but they couldn't keep the networks from reacting to what a nonstory it was. Of course, there was the obvious second act.

"I should probably warn you... if you haven't thought of it already," she said.

He tried to sound glib, but she could hear the wariness. "I'm sure I haven't."

"Well, if this story doesn't get results quickly, they'll have to up the ante to keep the press working for them."

"What does that mean, up the ante?"

She leaned back so she could see his face, her nose wrinkling in distaste at what she had to say. "They'll make the story more salacious somehow. Say you're suspected of a crime. Invent a student who you abducted or abused. Something along those lines, probably. They could be more creative, though."

His eyes shifted from her face back to the television screen, though the announcer had moved on to early primary predictions. He flushed, then went pale. She let him take his time with the idea. She could imagine how hard it would be for a good man to realize he was about to become a villain.

"There's nothing I can do about it," he said quietly. It was not quite a question.

"No."

"At least my parents aren't around to see it. Maybe... I don't think all my friends will believe it."

"I wouldn't," she agreed.

He smiled down at her. "At one point in the not too distant past, you thought I was going to murder a couple million people."

"I didn't know you then."

"True."

When the late news was done, they engaged in a more subdued good-night, then she began the cleanup. They might have to leave quickly. She dismantled and stowed her lab, then changed into leggings and a black T-shirt-things she would be comfortable in if tonight was the night they had to run.

She knew she was tired, but her brain couldn't seem to slow down. She didn't want to miss anything else. Daniel might be right-perhaps her first big mistakes were actually good things in that they might have saved his life. But she couldn't afford any more errors. It wasn't just her own life at stake now. She sighed to herself. There were benefits to having a liability, but the load was definitely much heavier.

A quiet knock interrupted her thoughts.

"Don't open the door," she cautioned quickly, jerking upright. The cot rocked underneath her.

After a short pause, Daniel asked, "Are you wearing a gas mask?"

"Yes."

"I thought so. Your voice sounds m.u.f.fled."

Another pause.

"Is your security system terribly difficult to disarm?" he wondered.

"Give me a minute."

It took less than that to secure the live wires. She pushed her mask back onto the top of her head and opened the door. He was leaning against the frame. She couldn't see him perfectly in the darkness, but she thought he looked tired... and sad.

"You're very worried," he inferred, reaching to touch her mask lightly.

"Actually, I always sleep with this. It feels weird if I don't have it on. Is something wrong?"

"More than everything? No. I was just... lonely. I couldn't sleep. I wanted to be with you." He hesitated. "Can I come in?"

"Um, okay." She took a step back, switching the light on.

He looked around, a new expression taking over. "This is the room Kevin gave you? Why didn't you say something? You should have my room!"

"I'm fine here," she a.s.sured him. "I'm not much for beds, anyway. It's safer to sleep light."

"I don't know what to say. I can't sleep in a king-size bed knowing you're stuck in a storage box."

"Really, I like it."

He gave her a doubtful look, which turned suddenly sheepish. "I was going to invite myself in, but there's barely room for you."

"We could shift some crates..."

"I have a better idea. Come with me." He offered his hand.

She took it without considering what she was doing. He pulled her down the dark hall, past the bathroom door, to his own room. The only light came from a small lamp on the bedside table.

It was a very nice room, more in line with Kevin's usual aesthetic than her own storage s.p.a.ce. There was a ma.s.sive bed in the middle of the room, covered in a white comforter, with a rustic four-poster frame made of artfully unfinished logs. A gold blanket that matched the tone of the wood was draped over the foot of the bed.

"You see?" he said. "There's no way I could sleep in here again after seeing your sad situation. I'd feel like a horrible excuse for a man."

"Well, I'm not trading. I already have my room wired."

They stood awkwardly in the doorway for a moment.

"I didn't really have anything specific in mind to talk about. I just wanted to be where you were."

"It's okay. I wasn't sleeping, either."

"Let's not sleep together," he said, then he flushed and laughed embarra.s.sedly. "That didn't sound right at all." He pulled her hand again, toward the big bed. "Look, I promise to be a perfect gentleman," he said. "I'll just feel less anxious if I can see you."

She climbed up on the thick white comforter next to him, laughing with him at his awkwardness and wondering privately if she wanted him to be a perfect gentleman. She reminded herself sternly that this was not the appropriate time for those kinds of thoughts. Maybe someday in the future when their lives weren't in danger. If that day ever came.

He took her hand but otherwise gave her s.p.a.ce. They both lay back on the stacks of feather pillows. He put his free hand behind his head and looked over at her.

"Yes, see, this is better."

And it was. It didn't make sense-she was out of her secured room and farther from her other weapons-but, paradoxically, she felt safer.

"Yes," she agreed. She slipped the gas mask off her head and laid it beside her.

"Your hand is cold."

Before she could respond, he sat up and grabbed the blanket from the foot of the bed. He shook it out, then settled it over them. When he lay back, he was closer to her. His shoulder touched hers, and his arm lay over hers as he took her hand again.

Why was she so vividly aware of things that, in the grand scheme of survival, didn't really matter?

"Thanks," she said.

"Don't take this the wrong way-I mean it as the highest compliment and not as a slight to your company-but I think I might actually be able to sleep with you here."

"I know what you mean. It's been a long day."

"Yes," he agreed fervently. "Are you comfortable?"

"I am. Don't take this the wrong way, but I might put my mask back on at some point. It's just a weird sleep habit."

He smiled. "Like hugging a teddy bear."

"Exactly like that, only not adorable."

He rolled toward her and leaned his forehead against her temple. She could feel his eyelashes brush against her cheek as he closed his eyes. His right arm snaked around her waist.

"I think you're adorable," he breathed. His voice sounded like he was already half asleep. "And terrifyingly lethal, too, of course." He yawned.

"Very sweet," she said, but she wasn't sure if he heard her. He was breathing so evenly she thought he might already be out.

She waited a few moments and then, carefully, she reached up with her free hand to touch his curls. They were so soft. Her fingers traced his features, totally calm in unconsciousness. It was that same innocent, serene face that had never belonged in her world. She didn't think she'd ever seen anything quite so beautiful.

She fell asleep like that, with her hand tucked possessively around the nape of his neck, the gas mask forgotten behind her back.

CHAPTER 17.

Kevin didn't call.

Daniel didn't seem to think this was odd, but Alex thought she detected some extra strain in Arnie's shoulders.

It was too long.

As she'd understood things, Kevin only had to get into a position from which he could follow the one person they knew for certain was involved-Carston. He could have made the drive to DC in two days, even taking it easy. She'd told him exactly where to find her old boss once he was there. It was only a few hours' work, at most. If Carston wasn't where he was supposed to be, Kevin should have called. What was he doing?

Or had something happened to him? How long should she wait before suggesting that possibility to Daniel?

The new worry added to her paranoia. She strung an extra lead outside the door to her room so that it could be armed while she was in another part of the house. It was so frustrating, not being able to wire the whole first floor. Just one gas mask short.

On the plus side, every hour hidden helped her face. Under low-wattage lighting and with a lot of makeup, she might be able to escape notice for three or even four seconds.

The wait was an odd mix of boredom, stress, and the strangest kind of happiness. Doomed happiness, happiness with a deadline, but that didn't make it less... all-encompa.s.sing. She should be in a very dark place right now, the pulsing beat of the hunt filling her ears, but she found herself smiling as a default expression. It didn't help that Daniel was just as inappropriately giddy as she was. They talked about it the next afternoon while watching the news.

Alex had snuck Lola inside when Arnie left to go train with the other animals-she felt bad that they had to keep the door closed on the dogs; it seemed rude-and Einstein and Khan had come with her. Which made the room awkwardly full of dog. She hoped Arnie wouldn't be upset. The dogs must come in sometimes or there wouldn't be the doggie door in the laundry room. She didn't know if the dogs were usually kept outside as part of their training or as an early alarm system or because Arnie had allergies-though if it was the last option, he'd chosen the wrong lifestyle.

Lola parked her floppy jowls and ears on Alex's thigh, where there would shortly be a drool situation, Alex was sure. Einstein jumped right up on the couch beside Daniel, tail waving enthusiastically at the rule breaking. Khan turned himself into a long ottoman in front of the couch. After the program's dull opening story-focused on politics, naturally, as if there weren't almost a year to go before anything actually happened-Daniel stretched his long legs out across Khan's back. Khan didn't seem to mind. Alex stroked Lola's ears, and Lola's tail thumped against the floor.

It all felt comfortable and familiar, though she'd never been in a position like this in her entire life. She'd never been so closely surrounded by living things-touching them, hearing their breathing-let alone holding hands with a man who thought she was adorable... and lethal. That he could know her full story and still be able to look at her the way he did...

Her eyes moved automatically to his face while the thought ran through her mind, and she found him looking at her, too. He smiled his wide, bright grin-the two days' stubble making him look unexpectedly rugged-and she smiled back without thinking about it. All kinds of bubbly emotions percolated through her chest, and she realized it was probably the best feeling she'd ever known.

She sighed, then groaned.

He glanced at the TV, looking for a reason, but it was just a commercial. "What is it?"

"I feel goofy," she admitted. "Stupid. Bubbly. Why does everything seem so positive? I can't string logical thoughts together. I try to worry, and I end up smiling. I might be losing my mind, and I don't care about that nearly as much as I should. I want to punch myself, but my face is finally just starting to heal."

Daniel laughed. "That's one of the drawbacks of falling in love, I think."

Stomach tingles again. "Is that what you think we're doing?"

"Feels like it to me."

She frowned. "I don't have any comparisons. What if I'm actually going insane?"

"You are most definitely sane."

"But I don't believe people can fall in love so quickly." Truthfully, she didn't entirely believe in love, romantic love, at all. Chemical responses, sure; s.e.xual attraction, yes. Compatibility, yes. Friendship. Loyalty and responsibility. But love just seemed a little too much of a fairy tale.