Warrior Reborn (22 page)

“Dr. Hyden, when would you have had access to an autopsy report we haven’t yet released?” Gault's voice was cold and clipped.

This conversation had gone to hell faster than the speed of light. Jason forced himself not to look in Briet’s direction with reassurance or reprimand.

He started slowly, working to ratchet down the hostility level. “I
imagine
she is conjecturing based on the level of resuscitation Annie required. Heart attack is not the general hypothesis among the teams.” Jason looked to Briet; his eyes fixed on her face as he prayed she would stop so he could help dig her out.

The flush on her face and fury in her eyes turned on him for a split second, then changed to confusion and frustration. “Fine. I’ve chosen a poor time. Although, it seems my request won’t be considered in person any more than it was by the appropriate channels. I’m sorry to have interrupted your evening, gentlemen.”

Head high and hands fisted, she walked away.

Jason would have followed her if Max hadn’t blocked his exit. “Let me introduce one of our sponsors for the Welson project to launch in Vancouver. Mr. Toré Valas, this is Jason Ballard, our project lead with the highest test-to-market success rate in the company. He’s done excellent work on the delivery of the newest Welson Corp. product.”

“I would like to think that’s the highest
quality
test-to-market success rate.” Jason quelled the impulse to follow Briet and extended his hand to the tall, slender man who had appeared at Gault’s side. The short brown hair and brown eyes seemed out of place against the pale color of the man’s skin, but Jason couldn’t place what made him take such note. Some people just didn’t look right in their own skin.

“Mr. Valas. What brings you to the benefit tonight? We’re a long way from Vancouver.” He gave a quick glance over the balcony to confirm Briet hadn’t managed to leave the ballroom. The crowd, now moving to take their seats, and the wave of waiters serving the salad course were slowing her down.

The man looked oddly amused when Jason glanced back. “Given travel, I’m rarely in Vancouver. I’ve come here to tie up some loose ends on another project.” He paused with a glance over Jason’s shoulder. “As well as to assess the probability of further ventures. I am, however, very pleased with what I’ve found so far. I apologize, Mr. Ballard, would you excuse me?” Without waiting for his reply, Valas passed by him and headed toward a group of men at an entrance to the balcony level.

He had no chance to assess Valas’ new companions. Most of the men were faced away from him and he needed to get to Briet. Unfortunately, he now had Hauer Gault’s undivided attention.

“You’ve done a good job keeping us abreast of problems, Jason. We aim to reward successful achievement.”

“I appreciate your support. With the exception of Annie Bremar’s death, I think we are progressing well.”

“An unfortunate circumstance, but unpredictable occurrences do happen. Welson wasn’t responsible for the Bremar child’s cremation. As I understand the situation, the funeral home made an error.”

Yeah, right.
Like the funeral home would create a mess, resulting in favor of a less expensive and politically disastrous option. “Granted. However, Annie Bremar was a child and her loss has strongly affected members of the team. I’m sure we can understand why her doctor might still be dealing with her death,” said Jason.

“Absolutely. I’ve been assured Dr. Hyden will be taken care of.”

Jason’s face must have reflected how odd he found the comment because Gault continued quickly, as if he’d intended more.

“Dr. Hyden’s concerns, I mean. All the doctors’ concerns are in our best interests, after all."

Jason worked to keep an even look. Poker was a skill and he gauged Gault to be on par with the masters. He wasn’t half-bad himself, and managing executives was a job he excelled at. “Good point. Hyden, Braden, Makai, and the rest, are all excellent doctors. Given I have to deal with her tomorrow, I’d like to take a stab at calming Dr. Hyden down now. Her acceptance of the situation will make the process easier for the rest of the team.”

Gault looked unimpressed but bowed his head in dismissal. “By all means, see what you can do to
calm
the woman down.”

***

Jason caught up to her and missed a grab for her arm as she entered the revolving door at the rear exit of the hotel.

He’d run down two flights of stairs, only to see the kickback of the bottom of her blue dress and a silver heel disappear around a corner when he shouted her name. She didn’t slow down, but at least he’d been able to catch up.

Two steps out of the revolving door he spun her around to look at him. “Just stop a minute and talk to me.”

“Why, so you can convince me to give up my claims? So you can sweet talk me into walking away?”

He frowned at her and dropped his hands from her body. “Have I ever tried to manipulate you? This is always about you. You’re the avenging angel out to save all the little innocents. Did it occur to you that everyone else isn’t a villain? Some people are just doing their jobs. They think they’re right, too, Briet. You can’t beat them over the head with their failings and expect them to knuckle under to your way of thinking and be pleased about it.”

She waved a hand to the hotel lobby. “Those men are never going to change their way of thinking. They’re going to race that drug to the market and bulldoze anyone who stands in their way. Children like Annie will be crushed under their feet.”

“You’re letting your emotions get in the way.” Jason exhaled in frustration. “There are other ways to work the problems you’ve mentioned. What you’re doing isn’t going to solve any of them. You blow so hot even people who want to help you can’t get close enough without getting burned.”

She looked offended and then narrowed her eyes. “Like you?”

“What does that mean?” He moved closer, staring down at her face. “I thought we’d established some trust. I
thought
you were going to come to me with issues. When did we end up on different sides? And when did you get hold of the autopsy report?”

A quick twinge of guilt flickered across her face at the last question, but she rebounded. “I only saw it today and I tried to get in touch with you,” she said, her tone filled with confusion.

He pulled out his cell phone and quickly clicked through the calls. “Nope, not one from you.”

Crossing her arms, she gave a little sound of exasperation. “I left my phone at home. So I left you messages on your desk.”

“Phone’s not going to do you any good somewhere else.”

She lifted her tiny silver purse. With a terse movement, she snapped open the clip and extracted the phone with two fingers. “Happy?” Not waiting for an answer, she dropped it back into her purse and snapped it shut again. “I figured you didn’t want to deal with this,” she said, a little bit calmer.

Now he was pissed. “You’re kidding, right? You know very well that I’ve done everything I can to make your work with this team go smoothly. I’ve answered every question. Worked every issue you’ve brought to me. Several you didn’t. Not to mention that you know full well how I feel about you.”

She tilted her head a little higher, but he wasn’t about to let her discount his words.

He moved closer, his fists on his hips. “Don’t you dare pretend that you think I was sleeping with you out of convenience.”

She blinked back at him, actually surprised. “I don’t. I’ve never thought that. But you didn’t come find me.”

“I never got any of your notes. I’ve been in my office twice today. No notes.” As she started to open her mouth, he cut her off. “I’m not saying you didn’t leave them. I’m saying you need to trust me. I didn’t get your notes, or I would have found you. You don’t need to fight this battle by yourself. You aren’t alone.”

She tightened her lips and crossed her arms but still looked unconvinced. “I tried to talk to someone who would give me information, anyone. They shut me down. Those men,” she waved a hand toward the revolving door. “They’ve covered their tracks so fast I may never find evidence of what they did to Annie, or what’s going on with the DNA splicing in all the patients.”

Jason stilled at her comment. “What are you talking about?”

“You know very well what I’m talking about. The blood samples I let you see. The samples show DNA splicing for every patient on the trial. I need to know if whoever tampered with the DNA used it to kill Annie. If the other kids are at risk.”

“How—”

The sound of feet striking the pavement made Jason glance over his shoulder seconds before a man with a ski mask over his face launched for him and made a grab for a fistful of his jacket.

Jason pushed Briet behind him and struck out with his right fist, following under and up with his left.

The man avoided the first punch, caught the second to his midsection, but still managed to plant a fist into Jason’s jaw. The punch wasn’t hard, but the spin and the impact sent him backwards into the brick wall.

Pure adrenaline had him rebounding off the wall, ready to pursue the man as a large SUV drove into the hotel’s pull-through. The rear window lowered, revealing a dark interior. Gut instinct sent Jason toward the ground, grabbing Briet. He landed with her body splayed on top of him.

The sharp ricochet of brick and cement splintered above as Jason flipped, covering Briet’s body with his.

A minute later, everything was silent.

He looked around. The SUV was gone. The mugger was gone. Briet’s body was still beneath him on the concrete sidewalk.

“You okay?” He rolled off and pulled her up to sit beside him. She was pale and obviously shaken, but the fire from their argument still lit her eyes. Good sign. She had to be the most stubborn woman he’d ever met. Her anger didn’t stop her from looking him over like a mother lion. Checking him for what—holes? Well, at least she cared.

“Where is everyone when we need help?” He sat back, blew out a breath, and looked around. There was no rear door attendant to witness and without the sound of gunfire, no one else would be alerted. Startled, he glanced at the marred surface of the brick wall above their heads. There hadn’t been noise, but there had been shots.

A silencer. What the fuck?

He started to rake his hand through his hair to shake out the gravel when he noticed the blood coating his palm. Raising his arms for a quick check under his jacket, he confirmed no hit. If he wasn’t—in confusion he looked back to Briet still sitting, her face in her hand. At least he could see her chest fall and rise. Her shoulders were shaking with the aftermath of fear, but her skin showed no injury and her blue dress looked unmarred.

He knelt beside her and coaxed her against him so he could check along her back. A jagged line of flesh was seared open across her left shoulder blade. The bullet had torn open the skin but the penetration was shallow, though the bleeding heavily.

At least he didn’t think the bullet was lodged in her body.

“I’ll be okay.” She said with unnerving quiet. Too quiet. Fire and anger had taken a back burner to shock.

“Hang on a second.” With his clean hand, he gingerly felt along the edges of the wound to confirm the bullet hadn’t angled in.

“Put your hand over the wound. It will stop bleeding,” she said. Her good hand reached between them to pull his hand closer over the wound.

He reacted with a jerk at the unsanitary suggestion. He could feel her flinch with his movement to resist and stopped, not wanting to cause her more pain by fighting with her. He’d give her a few seconds to calm down. “A doctor should have a better grip on hygiene. We need to get you some help.”

“It’s only a flesh wound, Jason. It’ll be okay soon.”

She leaned her head against his shoulder. He cupped the back of her head, his thumb stroking in her hair. Jason looked around. The SUV hadn’t returned and there were still no people in sight. “I’ll carry you back inside and get you some help. Then I need to call the police.”

“No. I’m okay. Really.” Her voice wavered, though the trembling ceased.

“You are not okay.” He pulled his hand away, blood still staining his palm and fingers. Her skin showed none of the tear or abrasion from moments before. “What the hell?”

“You healed it.” Her large brown eyes looked up at his face. “You have the capacity to do this for me, only you. I’m not crazy.”

He stood up, stepped away from her, and then squatted back to look at the wound. The bleeding had stopped and the wound looked pink, no longer jagged or fresh.

She opened her mouth but he held up a bloodstained finger. “Don’t. This is not normal. You can’t just heal like that.”

“I can when you touch me and when I touch you. Remember your burn?”

“That’s insane and you’re too smart to talk that kind of shit. You’re in shock from the shooting.”

“Maybe you just don’t see what you don’t want to see.” The fire had left her eyes, replaced by a weary sadness. Anger he could take, her sadness looked hopeless.

“Insane. Crazy.” Her voice came through stronger than her slumped shoulders and haggard look suggested. “Crazy, like the fact that you can see the DNA composition of people’s bodies. Crazy, like the mark on your hip? The mark resembling mine in everything but size. Crazy, like the way you can just blip from one spot to
me
in seconds and not remember how you got there—it’s called
folding
space, by the way. Crazy, like you know I’m right about Welson Corp?”

He shook his head. The connection of her random bits of information was scary. “It’s the loss of blood. If you could hear the words coming out of your mouth, you’d think twice before speaking. You need to relax and let me get you to the hospital. Feel free to rag on Welson once you’ve had a chance to recuperate and think rationally.”

She struggled to stand and brushed him off when he tried to help her.

“You’re right, Jason. You see, my mark, your ability to
fold
to me, your ability to see the building blocks within people’s body, are gifts. Not
insane
psychological issues. You’ve worked so hard to rationalize those gifts away, but these are my gifts to you. What I share with you as the only person in this world compatible with me. You’re right. It’s time I started thinking rationally. Because my loving you won’t fix our problems if you refuse to see what’s right in front of you.”