Lauren (Keegan's Chronicles Spin Off) (25 page)

“Me, too.” His eyes lingered on her face for longer than necessary.

Keegan cleared her throat. “I hate to break up the moment, but we really need to come up with a plan.”

Lauren’s face flushed. “You’re right. Let me call Calvron.”

After the phone call, Lauren put on some coffee and threw a couple of frozen pizzas in the oven while they waited for the guys to arrive.

Just as Lauren was about to pull out the pizza, the doorbell rang. Anna jumped up to let the rest of the crew in.

“What’s he doing here?” Calvron boomed.

Lauren popped her head out of the kitchen to find him narrowing his eyes at Galen. “He’s on our side. Anna and Keegan can fill you in.”

“It smells delicious.” Donald sniffed the air, following his nose into the kitchen where he snatched a piece of pizza off the counter.

Audrey gave her a quick hug. “Thanks for making dinner.”

“Of course.” Lauren pulled a plate from the counter and offered it to the shifter.

Donald tiptoed back to the pizza sheet and grabbed two more slices, then flashed her a cheesy grin and rushed from the kitchen.

Lauren rolled her eyes. She should probably put a couple more in the oven. Once Spencer and Sam dug in, all this would be gone. Keegan came in and pulled sodas out of the fridge while Lauren put two more pies in the oven.

“Did you guys tell Calvron to cool it?” Lauren asked her.

Keegan nodded. “He was cranky about it at first, but I think he believes Galen now.”

Everyone fell awkwardly quiet when Lauren walked to the living room holding what was left of the original two pizzas. As soon as she set them on the table, they disappeared. Good thing she had extras. Maybe she’d actually get a slice next time.

“Thanks for coming so fast, guys,” Lauren told her friends. “We’re in a bad position here. Galen is going to update us.” She nodded to Galen.

Galen wiped his mouth with a napkin and took a swift drink of soda before he began. “Well, as Lauren already told you, they plan to release the virus at the Metro at six pm. I’m not sure who will be the one to release the virus, but if I had to guess it would be Garret or Tristen.”

“Why can’t you just use your gift to disable them?” Calvron asked.

“Good question,” Donald agreed, looking suspiciously at Galen. “Couldn’t it all be prevented before it started?”

“I wish it were that easy,” Galen said regretfully. “I can only use my gift on one person at a time, and Tristen never does anything alone. If they know I want to thwart the attack, I have no doubt they will kill me. I would give my life to save the lives of so many others, but I don’t believe that would prevent the attack. It would just end my life. If I do see an opening where I can use my gift—once I know who will be releasing the virus—I won’t hesitate to act.” His voice was sure and steady.

Donald looked thoughtful. “Well, we obviously can’t rely on that. We need a backup plan.”

“Exactly.” Galen looked around the table, catching everyone’s gaze one at a time. “That’s where you all come into the picture.”

Galen pulled a Metro map out of his back pocket and spread it onto the table. He pointed his finger at Union Station. “This is where the virus will be released. It’s the busiest station at this time of day.”

They stayed up late into the evening, going over the plan and the possible outcomes. Tomorrow, the world would be thrown into chaos if they couldn’t prevent Tristen’s evil plan.

Chapter 30

“H
ow are we doing on time?” Calvron asked.

Lauren turned her wrist to check the time. “They should be arriving in thirty minutes.”

“Everyone knows what they are supposed to do?” Calvron glanced around at all of them. They all had powers and hopefully those powers would be enough today.

“I just hope it works.” Lauren said gravely.

“It has to…” Keegan’s voice trailed off.

Lauren glanced around at all the passengers waiting for the next train. So many potential deaths. It was peak time at the Metro. Everyone headed home from work or out to dinner, going about their business unaware that today could be the last day of their lives. The deaths would not be quick, but slow and painful. At first, they wouldn’t even know they were infected; they would bring it home to their family and friends. Lauren shuddered at the thought. The virus would spread quickly.

Part of her wanted to scream for everyone to leave now, but she knew it was useless. The commotion it would cause could prevent them from containing the virus before it had a chance to be released.

Her stomach clenched when she saw a pregnant woman walk past her. The baby might never have a chance to be born. Lauren took a deep breath. She needed to stop the negative thoughts, focus on the here and now. They had a chance and she had to cling to that. She glanced down at her watch—twenty-five minutes. Tristen was a stickler for time so she knew it would go off exactly as planned.

“There they are,” Keegan whispered urgently.

They were early. Lauren’s head snapped to the left. Galen, Tristen, Connor, and Garret walked through the crowd. Galen’s eyes met her and she saw something that turned her body to ice—fear.

She thanked the goddess Tristen was too busy looking in the other direction to notice her.

Suddenly the four guys split up in different directions. What was going on? This wasn’t part of the plan. Then she saw the identical black backpacks. That’s when it hit her. They all had containers. Knowing Tristen, none of them would know who had the actual virus. Her money would be on Tristen, but who knew if he would actually get his hands dirty or not. Galen would not be able to help unless he got close enough to use his mind control.

A glimmer of hope sparked in her chest. Maybe Galen had the virus. If that was the case it would never go off. But the look of fear on his face told her he did not.

“Spread out,” Donald yelled. “Everyone take a backpack.

No. No. No. It was not supposed to be like this. There should only be one container for them to contain at all costs. Either Calvron with his powerful magick, or Anna with her witchcraft would throw out a spell and no one would be the wiser.

“Lauren, go with Anna. Keegan, you come with me,” Calvron said.

They split up; the shifters went right and the rest of them went left.

Anna grabbed Lauren’s arm and they took off through the crowd searching for one of the Tristen’s flunkies. She could feel her pulse throbbing in her neck. Adrenaline coursed through her veins. They didn’t have long and, in this chaos, they had a slim chance of preventing the release.

She thought she saw a flash of a black backpack, but it was hard to be sure. They picked up the pace, dodging around passengers. The speakers announced that the next tram was approaching.

The tram pulled to a stop and Lauren looked wildly around. Should they jump on the train or keep searching the platform?

The doors slid open; they hesitated. Anna raised an eyebrow. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Calvron and Keegan jump on the tram. She shook her head. It was a gamble, but someone had to stay at the station in case it went off there.

“Are you sure?” Anna asked, just before the doors closed.

She wasn’t sure of anything at this point.

The train pulled out. In the window, she saw Tristen staring out at her. He waved. Oh dear gods, they made the wrong choice! At least Calvron and Keegan were on the train. She could only hope they would find a way to prevent the container from being opened.

“Did you see him?” Lauren groaned.

“Let’s keep looking. There’s still a chance it could be in the station. The trains run on so often, it’s always packed.”

They heard a commotion and raised voices to their left. Lauren looked over and saw Galen sprinting across the platform.

Anna and Lauren took off towards them, Lauren running as fast as she could through the crowd.

They skidded to a stop just in time to see Galen kick the back of Garret’s legs and drop him chest first to the ground. He drove his knee into Garret’s back.

Just then Connor walked up, a big grin on his face. He twisted the top off the container. A loud hiss and a cloud of mist floated into the air.

“No!” Everyone yelled at once.

Time stood still. Everything moved in a blur. Lauren heard loud chanting and turned to see Anna walking slowly towards them her arms spread out by her sides. Lauren couldn’t make out what she was saying; it sounded like a foreign language. Eyes wide, she watched as the mist flooding the the air seemed to seep into Anna.

Anna collapsed on the floor, her head slamming onto the cement.

Heart hammering against her chest, Lauren rushed to Anna’s side. Her friend’s open, lifeless eyes stared at nothing. Lauren pressed her fingers to Anna’s throat, searching for a pulse, but found nothing.

“Don’t you die on me!” Lauren screamed.

She heard someone yell, “Call 911!”

Bending down she pinched Anna’s nose and blew into her mouth.

Galen appeared at her side, and began doing chest compressions. They repeated the CPR over and over. Nothing happened.

Tears streamed down Lauren’s face. Why couldn’t she have been a healer instead of her useless power?

Power. She had power. “Move, Galen!” She pushed him aside.

Closing her eyes she searched for the nearest power source.
Please help me save my friend. I just need some of your power
. She felt the electricity dance through her fingers.

Placing one hand on top of the other she pumped Lauren’s chest. Nothing happened.

Please. Please. Please. Let this work.

Again. Nothing.

On the third attempt Anna’s green eyes fluttered open, then closed. Her head lolled to the side.

Galen pressed his fingers to her neck. He nodded. “You did it. It’s faint, but she’s alive.”

Sirens wailed in the background. Lauren collapsed against Galen.

“Did they get away?”

“They’re sitting over there. They are not to move until they are arrested.”

His power awed Lauren. He could take over someone’s will. She wouldn’t want that much power.

The paramedics rushed in and lifted Anna onto a gurney. “I’m going with Anna.”

“I’ll meet you at the hospital after I talk to the police.”

Lauren looked down at her shoes and back up at Galen. “Thank you. If it weren’t for you…”

“Shh…” He leaned down and his full lips touched hers ever so softly before he pulled away.

Lauren touched her lips and smiled. Then she ran over to jump in the back of the ambulance.

The door to the hospital room opened; Lauren glanced up from her chair next to Anna’s bed. Calvron and Keegan walked in.

Keegan rushed to Anna’s side and grabbed her hand. “Are you ok?”

Other than a pale face, Anna looked fine. “Looks like we’ve both been to the other side. What’s the chances of that?”

“Did you see a white light?” Keegan asked curiously.

Lauren watched the exchange with interest. Keegan had died and been brought back by black magick, but they never talked about it. She wondered if Keegan had seen a light.

“I saw my mother’s white light.”

Keegan nodded her head. “She must have been terrified.”

Anna’s mom, a spirit walker, took souls to the other side of the veil once they passed from this world.

“I think she was relieved when she felt me being pulled from her. She just went to get coffee, but she’ll be back.”

“Did you get Tristen?” Lauren asked.

“Yeah. They arrested him and the other clowns for attempting a terrorist attack, breaking and entering, and conspiracy to commit murder. I don’t think they will see the outside world for a very long time.”

Her shoulders relaxed and she breathed a little easier.

They heard a sharp knock on the door, and then Galen peeked his head through. His hair was disheveled and he looked tired.

“Come in.” Lauren waved her hand.

“Glad to see you’re alive and well, Anna.”

“Thanks to you and Lauren.” She smiled.

“Don’t be modest. We all know you’re the real hero in the room.” Galen grinned.

“I’d say it was a joint effort all around. We make a great team.” Lauren squeezed Anna’s hand.

“Speaking of team. Anna, we could use your help tracking down the black magick.”

“Galen, I can’t believe you just said that! She’s lying in the hospital, for crying out loud,” Keegan protested.

Anna sat up a little straighter in the bed. “I’m in.”

“I thought you would be. Ok, I just wanted to stop by and check on you. Lauren, would you mind walking me out?”

“Sure.” Lauren stood up and saw Keegan give her a thumbs-up.

He held the door open and she slid past him into the hallway.

“How are you holding up?” he asked.

“Ok—I’m sure I’ll feel better after a good night of sleep.”

“I mean about Tristen.”

“Oh.” Lauren paused. “He got what he deserved.”

They walked out the double door into the brisk evening. “I hope I wasn’t too forward earlier.”

Lauren stopped and turned towards him. “What did that kiss mean?”

“I’ve had feelings for you for a long time, Lauren. You’re amazing.”